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How to Make a Tempting Christmas Cookie Tray (Plus Recipes!)
It just wouldn’t be Christmas without the classic baking tray, piled high with all your family favourites. But have you ever wondered, what makes a good baking tray? Besides secret-grandma-baking magic?
Your holiday baking tray is more than just a collection of dainties that you like. It’s a curated collection of sweet treats that appeals to as many people at the party as possible. The key is in the mix and presentation. We want this goodie tray to be irresistible to all who pass!!
Okay, I may have put a bit too much gravitas on the Christmas baking tray, and possibly have over-thought this, but I know that if you’re reading this, you secretly want to have a holiday cookie tray that has no leftovers.
How Many Cookies Do You Need in a Cookie tray?
You don’t need to go crazy with the cookies. For a small tray, I like to have 3-5 varieties. For a larger tray, 5-10 varieties is nice. Put at least 6 of each kind of cookie on the tray, and more for a larger tray.
Group each variety together, and try to put cookies of different colours side-by-side. For example, the gingerbread cookies will look good beside the shortbread, but not as great beside the brownies.
If you don’t have any goodies that are brighter coloured with sprinkles or icing, consider adding a few colourful candies to the tray to make it pretty.
What Mix of Cookies Makes the Best Baking Tray?
While there’s no perfect answer, here’s the mix I like to have on my tray:
- One decorated cookie: gingerbread, sugar cookies, or anything with sprinkles and icing.
- One chocolate-based item: browies, chocolate cookies, fudge.
- One item that contains jam or fruit: jam-jam cookies, mini cheesecakes, or squares and tarts with apples, cranberries, or raisins.
- One square: Nanaimo bars, Oh Henry Bars, or whatever your favourite square is.
- Shortbread or treat with a shortbread crust
- One Kid-Friendly item. This may be the same as the decorated cookie, but it could also be something like candy cane cookies, a cupcake with icing, or anything with candies, icing, or sprinkles.
- Something with nuts. This is best to avoid if you know you’ll be serving someone with allergies or are baking for a bake sale or situation where you don’t know who will be eating yourself. However, if it’s for your extended family with no nut allergies, it’s always nice to have something with almonds, walnuts, or peanut butter on the tray.
You can have one of each of these varieties, however, some of them will have to overlap or be skipped if you have a smaller tray with less varieties.
Now on to the recipes! Here’s some of my favourite recipes that I love to make for Christmas and often end up on my baking tray.
The Best Christmas Baking Tray Recipes
Take your holiday baking tray from ho-hum to simply irresistable. Here's a delicious mix of dainties you'll want to include this holiday.
A Christmas variation on classic butter tarts.
The best and easiest shortbread recipe you will find. A secret ingredient makes the shortbread extra smooth.
Take those classic shortbread cookies up a notch with this beautifully decorated version.
An unexpected and decadent addition to the baking tray.
Coffee, chocoloate and mint combine for a different and festive treat.
Easy and kid-pleasing, the extra effort is worth the smiles you'll see when you serve these delicious Rice Krispie Christmas Trees.
Like fruit cake? Me neither. But this fruit bread is pretty delicious and a nice addition for those craving something less sweet.
No dry cinnamon buns here! Here's the gooey cinnamon buns you're craving.
When your attempt at St. Lucia buns goes all wrong, you make these St. Lucia Day cinnamon buns instead.
Use the haskaps in your freezer for a delcious and unexpected addition to the dainty tray.
A basic recipe for sour cherry tarts with options for how sweet or sour you like your cherries.
I challenge you to only eat one pieces of this almond roca. Make it and watch it disappear.
Practically fool-proof fudge that makes a delicious and creative Christmas gift.
Kristen Raney
Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots. She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden. She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.
